Mental health management earns Bronze Star

by Senior Airman Jared Duhon
436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

9/18/2014 - DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del.  -- Master Sgt. Tanya Miller, 436th Medical Operations Squadron mental health flight chief, received the Bronze Star Medal Sept. 9, 2014, here for her work while deployed to Afghanistan with the Army.

Miller, then a technical sergeant, was the NCO in charge of the Combat Stress Control Clinic with the 1-502 Infantry Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Forward Operating Base Fenty, Afghanistan from December 2013 to May 2014. She said receiving the award has been an exciting experience.

"I screamed when I learned about getting the award," said Miller. "The medal was shipped to my house and I was amazed, I was not expecting the award."

The Dover, Arkansas, native oversaw care for 12 Forward Operating Bases consisting of 13,500 soldiers.

"I spent a lot of time traveling to each location," said Miller. "In some cases I would have to travel to some soldiers, who would have to be medically evacuated out of the FOBs. My job was to ensure they got the care they needed."

Col. Kevin Murphy, 436th Medical Group commander, presented the medal and spoke about her accomplishments, saying that the work she accomplished is amazing.

"From day one she has been an outstanding performer and never had a task too big for her," said Murphy. "The programs she built will be in place long after she is gone. Even before she received this well-deserved medal she was one of our star performers."

The program she created was the Tele-Behavior Health systems, which when installed, reduces appointment wait times from four weeks to one day.

"I scrounged for parts and pieces to make sure the systems worked," said Miller. "Once they were working I moved them to the four remaining FOBs that didn't have the system setup. This allowed for the psychiatrist to talk with soldiers at any time she was available and not necessarily when the clinic is open, improving wait times for solders to be seen."

Miller's husband, Master Sgt. Larry Miller, 9th Airlift Squadron first sergeant, said he can't keep up with his wife.

"It's great for her to get recognized for something I always thought was true," said Master Sgt. Larry Miller. "And it is awesome to know she earned something that is difficult for someone to earn in the mental health world."